While looking for a potential partner, most of us have a mental checklist of personality traits we usually look for. While some might look for someone who is ambitious, independent, and well-settled in life, others may prefer someone who takes a more laid-back approach to life and has a strong sense of religious belief.
This intuitive method of having a mental checklist makes a lot of sense to us millennials. But apparently, Gen Z believes in casting a wider net when it comes to the dating pool. This willingness to expand one’s horizons in dating is known as open casting, a term originally used for casting purposes in the entertainment world.
Yes, yet another dating trend that has been doing the rounds in 2023 – stay tuned as we discuss open casting and its impact on modern dating.
The Rising Popularity Of Open Casting?: Explained!
The whole thing about open casting boils down to the simple fact – that people right now are done dating their usual types. They are looking for something different from what they are used to – this indicates that people are now showing interest in dating beyond their comfort zones.
Here’s why people are getting more comfortable with dating beyond their usual types, thereby making open casting popular in modern love.
1. Initial Attraction Does Not Always Guarantee Long-Term Compatibility:
- Just think back to the most intense relationships of your life. Now ask yourself the following questions:
- Did your former partner seem to be perfect at the beginning of the relationship, only to make you realize that you were looking at them and the relationship with rose-tinted glasses?
- Once the honeymoon phase ended, did you find that everything about the person that was initially attractive was now a major turn-off?
Was getting over this person and this relationship a messy affair? When the relationship was close to its demise, were you stuck in an on-again-off-again pattern with your ex?
Simply put, intense attraction can actually cloud your judgment. Usually, when we are pursuing someone passionately, we are technically not in the right space to make any healthy decisions. In fact, science says that passion actually causes changes in our dopamine and oxytocin levels inside our brains.
This obviously makes it very difficult for the brain to do any sort of objective evaluation of this potential partner, and if the feeling is mutual, then things are actually getting too intense, which only makes the whole situation even more toxic.
2. Similarities Don’t Matter Anymore Unless They Are Perceived:
Earlier, most people believed that similarities in trades guaranteed attraction. However, multiple studies have now revealed that more than actual similarities, what matters are perceived similarities.
Basically, when you’re creating a profile on any dating app, you are packaging yourself in a certain way so that you get more matches. But this is a thing of the past – while perceived similarities continue to exist and play a vital role in matchmaking, Gen Z is more open to playing the crowd and expanding the dating horizons.
It is also possible that since it has become relatively easier to see through the facade of an exposed dating profile curated with time and effort. Profiles like these on dating apps indicate that nothing meaningful is going to happen due to the apparent in authenticity of the profile itself.
This is definitely one reason why people are more interested in expanding their dating horizons, thereby resorting to open casting.
3. People Are Just Done With Bad Experiences:
If you have spent years in the dating pool, then chances are, you have already experienced more than one major heartbreak, developed trust issues, tired of getting to know someone only to be disappointed for the nth time.
In short, chances are just done with bad romantic experiences. But that does not mean you have to give up on love. Open casting enables people to go beyond what they are used to and maybe, in the process, fall in love.
How Can You ‘Open Cast?’
If you do decide to give this trend a try, then your first step should be to accept the simple fact that this is not going to be easy, especially in the beginning.
Once you are prepared mentally, this is going to be different from what you have been used to, you will be able to embrace this new approach to dating. For instance, if you have always dated tall, dark, and mysterious, then this time, go for someone who is not that tall, maybe someone outgoing or someone expressive.
When you are surfing profiles on dating apps, keep an open mind and avoid putting too many filters since there is so much more to a successful relationship than just physical attraction.
Investing a little time in actually reading what someone has to say on their profile rather than just swiping on the basis of appearance may help you to open the cast better.
And no, swiping someone left because you guys don’t have the same pin code shows you are not keeping that beautiful mind of yours open.
And It’s A Wrap!
In the initial stages of a relationship, when two people are getting to know each other, they might try to portray themselves as each other’s ideal matches.
Long-term compatibility depends on multiple factors, like the value your partner adds to your life and their approach to conflict resolution. Open Casting encourages you to keep an open mind to surprising discoveries about yourself.
If you do end up finding love after giving this trend a try, then understand that until you met your partner, you did not know that your actual desires and perceived preferences don’t align. That is precisely why open casting can lead to more rewarding and fulfilling relationships.
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